Some say that fashion revolves around taking risks. This may be fine when a woman is in her teens or her twenties, but once she hits a certain age, taking fashion risks can come off less as avant garde, and more as just plain silly. For fall of 2013, designers have already showcased the newest clothing trends. While many of these trends in tops, jackets, dresses, and skirts will work for most women, some should be ignored.

Cartoon Patterns

Several well known designers have highlighted dresses and shirts made from vivid, cartoon patterned fabrics for fall. While cartoonish fabrics may be deemed as edgy or fun for the young, they can be viewed as almost creepy and/or ghoulish for middle age and older women. Although these outlandish fabrics may be fine for a woman who is an artist, most adult females should steer clear of buying any piece of clothing that features cartoon characters.

Oversized Winter Coats

The designer, Carven, revealed oversized, pastel fur coats on the runway this season…much to my dismay. First of all, if a model, probably in her teens and weighing only 97 pounds, looks like a blob of Pepto Bismal in this coat, what can a woman who is older and heavier expect to look like? Sure, this fabric looks cozy and fun, but with its outlandish proportions, it comes off as larger than life. We all know that shoulder pads and other oversized coat components would someday be back in style, but this does not mean we should jump on that fashion trend. As I’ve said before, the average size of an American woman is 12, and because of this, the trend of oversized winter coats should be ignored by most!

Faux Fur Catastrophe

Style.com has a picture of one of Versace’s featured fall coats. In neon yellow with black, zebra-like, stripes, the first thing that crossed my mind was “don’t cross this police line!” In another color fur, this coat may be dreamy, but in this pattern of yellow and black, it looks – dare I say – hideous. I know designers need to shock the public to garner attention, but this fabric may have gone too far. Check out the photo here. Other designers showcased faux furs in equally garish fabrics. This trend is another that most women in the US will want to shun, or even run away from!

Punk Re-Do

Punk has returned, but that doesn’t mean a woman should wear the style…again. Basically, if a woman wore her own version of punk years ago, it’s best not to return to this trend. Even if those were the best years of a person’s life, resist the urge to revisit them by donning a Edun off the shoulder tunic cinched by an extra long skinny belt. See the look here.

Tantalizing Trends Galore

Overall, trends for fall 2013 women’s clothing look fresh and inviting. Designers have started to showcase styles that most women can wear. I applaud their efforts; however, steer clear of the above questionable trends to avoid looking the fool this coming season.